Professor Carl Chinn, MBE, patron St John's Church Preservation Group
"There are concerns across the Black Country and Birmingham about the state of many churches, chapels and graveyards and if the St John’s Church Preservation Group is successful it can act as a beacon of hope for other campaigners.”
Professor Carl Chinn
WHY SAVE ST JOHN'S CHURCH?
“I am honoured to become Patron of the St John’s Church Preservation Group and fully support its aims and objectives.
With its commanding view of the Black Country from historic Kates Hill, St John’s is a church that calls out to us of the importance of religious buildings in the life of the industrial West Midlands; whilst in its graveyard are buried many of the people who transformed the Black Country into one of the greatest manufacturing regions in the world.
They deserve better than to be left in a place that has become almost wild and their relatives deserve the opportunity to be able to pay their respects in a fitting place." Professor Carl Chinn
St John The Evangelist, Dudley. Photographed March 2009.
ST JOHN'S CHURCH PRESERVATION GROUP VISION STATEMENT
MAY 2007
PROGRESS SO FAR
UPDATED JULY 2009
1. To restore the beautiful St John's
Church to become safe and usable again, to be brought up to modern day
standards and to be made into a listed building.
St John's
Church Grade II listed by English Heritage 21st May 2009. The building is now acknowledged to be of national significance.
2. We
acknowledge that this will always be ongoing work due to the size and age of
the structure. Therefore we want to ensure that a strong group of supporters
remain in place to ensure the continuity of the work. With reference to this
succession planning we especially want to encourage children to become
involved.
Around
1000 St John's Church Preservation Group members. Committee of 14. Around 60
Young Supporters, not mobilised into a group yet. See Help Needed.
Building
St John's Church Preservation Group membership towards optimum effectiveness
remains ongoing work and is key to the 2009 Action Plan.
3. To include re-instatement of the stained glass
windows and the restoration of the bell tower. The eight St John's Church Bells
are no longer there. We want to buy new bells and hear the sound of church
bells in Kates Hill once again.
Much
as we want to see these items achieved they have to be lower priority than
getting the building opened ie essentail repairs, then heating, electrics etc.
4. To replace the memorial plaques naming the
gallant soldiers who died and restore the War Memorial lychgate .
We
now have a list of the names that were on the plaques. We also know that the
plaques still exist. We have talked to the Royal British Legion, RAFA and The Ex Servicemens Club about a future partnership to restore the Lychgate again. The Worcesters will also be invited.
The Memorial Lychgate is now also Grade II listed as it falls within the curtilage of the church building.
5. That in due course we want to either
restore or replace the church organ.
We
are in touch with an experienced organ restorer who will look at this if we can
get access to the inside of the church
In the meantime we have two donated electric organs in storage waiting to be used in the church when we re-open it
6.
That we want to clean up the graves and the grounds and ensure that the grounds
remain clean and tidy.
Graveyard
completely cleared although more volunteers needed for maintenance. Only a
handful of graves have been left under growth, this to give the birds one more
year to adjust to the changes.
7. We want St John's Church to be usuable for
Christian worship, weddings, baptisms, confirmations and funerals and all other
usual church festivals and important dates.
We want St John's Church to be available for other community
use including education both academic, vocational and non vocational including
the historical aspects of the district.
We want the church to have a cafe, gift shop, an area for meetings and
groups, and to be available for providing entertainment such as concerts,
shows and plays.
We understand that to make the building multi -usuable the worship area
size may have to be reduced.
We also feel that St John's Church has a number of unique features that
will make it of interest to local tourism and for school educational
trips which we intend to encourage and promote.
The
feasibility study developed through the St John's Church Steering Group will be
investigating these items. We are currently working with the St John's Church Steering Group to identify the most suitable consultants to carry out this research. The cost of this study is one of our current appeals, circa Ł15,000.
We are
also continuing with research regarding the tourism potential and developing
links for future activities in the church building.
The first tourist guide is in preparation and a number of trip visits have already taken place
Churches of the Black Country Tour Bus outside St John's Church May 2009
8. We want to make sure that St John's Church
is NEVER threatened with closure again, by keeping in place funding streams and
fundraising efforts to ensure that runnning and maintainance costs can be met.
We have
agreed a reserve figure of 10% of all non grant income to create funds for the
future. We cannot take sums from grants for our reserves, the money has to be
spent on what the grant was for.
We are
taking advice on funding bids, gift aid and developing a local regular giving
scheme with an ambitious weekly target.
We also
expect to become a registered charity soon.
WHAT IS THE TRUE CONDITION OF THE FABRIC OF THE CHURCH
HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST TO RESTORE AND RE-OPEN ST JOHN'S CHURCH BUILDING
The St John's Church building was closed in 2002 on safety grounds.
The congregation moved over to the Parish Hall where worship now takes place.
The Church of England Quinquennial Inspection of 2002 closed the church on safety grounds.
An inspection by English Heritage in 2005 concluded that the building was capable of straightforward repair.
A further detailed survey in 2008 commissioned by Church of England also concluded that the building was capable of repair and is redeemable.
We are now working to raise the funds for the restoration and re-opening of St John's Church.
GRADE II LISTED BUILDING
Probably the greatest achievement of the St John's Church Preservation Group so far (with support and help from many others) was to apply for and obtain Grade II listed status for the St John's Church building.
The recommendation for Grade II listing was made by an English Heritage Inspector and the decision was confirmed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
For more details of what listed status means for St John's Church follow this link to the relevant English Heritage website page:
The listing application was submitted on 6th August 2008 and was granted on 21st May 2009.
The listing application took ten months to research and prepare.
A copy can be obtained by sending a memory stick and s.a.e to
St John's Church Preservation Group, The Old School House, St John's Road, Kates Hill, Dudley, West Midlands, DY2 7JT
(The file is too large for electronic transmission)
Being a listed building does not automatically save a building. Nor does it bring any funding with it. The building is also not protected from alternative development or demolition by listing. A redundant church can be demolished without normal planning permission hence our continued objection to the redundancy process. Listing means that the building is now acknowledged to be nationally important and hence more funds may be applied to and local opinion to preserve the building can be bolstered. It also adds to the importance of Dudley as a historic heritage town.
Being a Grade II listed building is certainly not the only reason to restore and re-open St John's Church
We aim to persuade the Church authorities to re-open St John's Church building as an Anglican Church for Christian Worship and to develop part of the building for general community use. We believe that St John's Church building has a bright future of service to the community ahead.
ST JOHN'S CHURCH
IS IMPORTANT TO DUDLEY
One of a pair - sister church to St James, Eve Hill
Feature of the skyline. Can be seen from as far away as Cannock and Sutton Coldfield.
History goes back to 1840
Now a grade II listed building ie of national importance
The architect William Bourne was also the architect for:
The original Dudley Town Hall on it's present site
The original Dudley Guest Hospital
St James Eve Hill
St James and St John's church schools (St James school is now in the Black Country Museum)
St John's Church Swindon
St Michaels Handsworth
St Lukes Cradley Heath
St Edmunds Church School (now Dudley Central Mosque)
The second St Giles Church, Rowley
The Mechanics Institute (now demolished)
Other church schools and alterations to St Thomas's and St Edmunds, Dudley
St John's Church and adjacent St John's Church School are the last remaining William Bourne 'set' of church and school still together.
ST JOHN'S CHURCH
MATTERS TO LOCAL PEOPLE
Generations of local people have had all their major family occasions, weddings, christenings, funerals at St John's.
They now have to hold these family occasions at other churches.
At one funeral held at another church nearby seventy relations joined the Preservation Group.
The granddaughter of a member recently had to
marry at another church and was the first family member in living
memory not to have married at St John's.
Local people remember how vibrant the church was in previous years and want to see that energy and community involvement return.
But not in the Parish Hall where the former congregation are currently worshipping!!
It's not just older people who are supporting
the campaign - local people of all ages including 60 Young Supporters
(under 18's) have joined the Preservation Group
SUPPORTERS OF THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE ST JOHN'S CHURCH INCLUDE:
The Black Country Society
The Victorian Society
English Heritage
The West Midlands Heritage Buildings Trust
Local Ward Councillors and the MP
ST JOHN'S CHURCH
LOCAL AND NATIONAL HISTORY
Important local and national figures are buried at St John's:
William Perry 'The Tipton Slasher' Champion of England Bare Knuckle fighter
Julia and Thomas Hanson 'Hansons Beer'
Marion Richardson 'Handwriting and Pioneering Art Teacher'
Mary Ann Mason cruelly murdered in 1855
Relations of James Whale Hollywood film producer 'Frankenstein'
A plaque to Flt Sgt Stephen Burns, a Dambuster
Rev Noott, first vicar of St John's served 63 years (possibly a record for a Parish Priest) , godson of Edward Jenner the inventor of innoculation and brother in law of Sir Alfred Hickman 'Hickman Park, Bilston'
George Thomason. Military Medal holder, saved the life of Viscount Lascelles, Uncle to our Queen
Thomas Brassington, drummer and tympanist at Dudley Opera House
William Masefield, 'The William Masefield Chapter' Grand Provincial Lodge of Worcester
Many other war heroes (stories being researched)
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE ST JOHN'S CHURCH BUILDING ONCE IT IS RE-OPENED?
SOME KEY FACTS AND IDEAS
A feasibility study brief "The Future For St John's" has been prepared by the St John's Church Steering Group chaired by the Archdeacon of Dudley and will look at a number of the ideas contained within this section which have been suggested by SJCPG committee and members.
Key to our vision is to re-open the building for Christian worship.
St John's Parish is the largest in the Dudley Deanery area and contains one of the wealthiest areas in Dudley, Oakham, and one of the poorest, Kates Hill. This makes for a strange hybrid of a parish but one which opens up lots of opportunities for different activities and funding.
Approximate population in the Parish is 13,000
We do not for one moment expect to re-open St John's Church building simply for two hours worship on a Sunday
We expect the building to be open for Christian worship or private prayer seven days a week and to incorporate different styles of worship, from quiet prayer groups, prayer book services through to gospel groups and modern informal style. We would encourage a selection of short services in addition to the main Sunday worship.
All of these styles fit comfortably within the broad sweep of the Anglican Church and would help to accommodate different worship needs.
We expect part of the building to be adapted for general community use and to be open seven days and evenings a week.
Tourism and Green Space
The St John's Church grounds extend to well over two acres, with paths of different gradients and extended views of Dudley Castle and The Black Country.
As the grounds are cleared by St John's Church Preservation Group they become increasingly suitable for healthy walks, wildlife and birdlife observation and general relaxation. There are already some seating benches in place.
There are many famous stories contained within St John's Church grounds and we believe the site can be developed for tourism which will also add to the local economy. Research work to prepare the site and building for tourism is ongoing.
We aim to be part of the Dudley Tourist Trail and be included in Dudley and Black Country tourist leaflets
Logistics
Some pews may need to be taken out but we will try to minimise this . Others can be made moveable as in Worcester Cathedral to ensure flexible use of space.
Moveable partition walls will probably need to be used
Our aim is to keep the interior as familiar and orginal as possible, but achieve some flexibility for a variety of different uses
An area near the chancel will be kept available for private prayer at all times apart from when services or events are taking place
Toilets, disabled access and kitchen facilities will be needed
Rewiring and plumbing needed
Improved drainage needed
Blocked up doorways at West end can be re-opened to help with multi-use
The gallery areas may need to be partly altered to make the space useable and strengthening will have to take place
There is a large undercroft area underneath St John's which may be able to be developed to provide further space (as at Sister Church St James). We hope to be able to propose a way in which does not impact on the nave area and an emergency exit through the existing boiler room
General Ideas to create regular visitors
Post Office
Credit Union
Library/Book Club
Cafes (undercroft and in community area)
Develop undercroft to include licensed premises
Sweet shop selling icecreams and Teddy Grays sweets
Fresh produce stall using stock from local projects, allotments and gardens
Sell fresh and silk/plastic flowers
Gift shop with local purchasing policy, crafts etc
Sheets to leave prayer requests and requests for a visit from Priest
Ideally have a volunteer on hand to explain what it means to become a Christian and/or leaflets/appropriate website or film running
Noticeboard with details of how to contact the Vicar and details of services, parish mags
Other
Abseiling from top of tower (as at St Leonards, Bridgnorth)
Church sleepovers with midnight feast and breakfast
NOT paranormal investigations or ghost hunts although this has been suggested to us many times. We have agreed in St John's Church Preservation Group committee that we would not agree to St John's Church being used in that way other than possibly the leaving of equipment for recording, with no persons present.
Funding
There are numerous funds we can apply to but this is very time consuming and after long delays the application can be refused
We are lucky in Dudley to have a very professional Council For Voluntary Service who give advice on funding bids
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council are also being supportive but it is not up to a local council to fund churches owned by the Church of England
Our main thrust will be local fundraising to create income streams which can be relied on alongside funding bids which will hopefully bring larger sums in to help
Training and advice available
Leading Your Church Into Growth’ – Charitable Training Organisation
Training in Coffee Shop Facilitation – Mission Department, Diocese of Worcester
Diocese of Worcester Association of Readers
Child Protection Training – Diocese of Worcester Child Protection Training Team
The Department for Children, Youth and Education – Diocese of Worcester
Media Training – Communications Officer, Diocese of Worcester
Maintenance and Care of Church Buildings – Diocese of Worcester
CAWS (Church Action within Society) – Knowing your place (explore locality and community),
